If an injury is beyond the athlete’s scope to manage independently, your provider may recommend surgical intervention to get you back “on track”. Though the ultimate goal is recovery, musculoskeletal surgery may mean 6 weeks to 6 months of altered activity status which can lead to decreased muscle mass, increased fat storage, insulin resistance, and increased inflammation. Athlete recovery is greatly influenced by nutrition surrounding surgery. Use these 4 nutrition tips to aid recovery after musculoskeletal surgery.
#1: Get Enough Energy
It is still important to get enough energy even during the early immobility stages of recovering from surgery. Inadequate energy intake accelerates muscle loss. A general recommendation for adequate energy is 25-30kcal/kg where weight in lbs/2.2 = weight in kg. Talk with your dietitian to get a unique range for you!
#2: Get Enough Protein
Low appetite after surgery can lead to reduced protein intake. For the normal healthy adult, 1g/kg/day is adequate protein. In conditions of stress from injury or wound healing, increasing protein intake up to 2g/kg/day can help prevent muscle loss. Consuming daily protein spread evenly across all meals will help you build and maintain muscle mass more effectively than eating all of your daily protein in one sitting. High quality animal-sourced proteins like fish, eggs, cheese, and milk seem to be more easily absorbed and digested for protein synthesis.
#3: Eat Foods That Have Healthy Fat
Several studies support regular intake of foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids for the injured athlete. Omega-3s play a role in regulating protein synthesis which protects against muscle loss during periods of immobilization. Omega-3s may also help reduce inflammation in the body that occurs after injury and surgery. Food sources of healthy fat include fatty fish, flax seeds, chia, and walnuts.
#4: Mind Your Macros
Foods containing vitamins A, C, and E as well as polyphenols and flavonoids seem to help protect against oxidative stress (damage to cells from excess stress) and inflammation in the body. One way you can build your defenses against stress is by eating foods high in micronutrients. Colorful plants like sweet potatoes, spinach, red and green peppers, oranges, berries, and broccoli, as well as plant seeds, legumes, and beans like sunflower seeds and almonds, can help get your defenses up. Don’t cheat yourself by getting your nutrition from supplements alone!
Bon Appetit!
By ensuring your diet includes enough energy, protein, healthy fats, and essential micronutrients, you’re giving yourself a strong foundation for post-surgery recovery. If we were to add a #5 to this list, it would be to treat yourself! Surgery can be challenging both physically and mentally, so go ahead—you’ve earned that chocolate ice cream!
Sources: Fleetwood, Anne. Fuel for Surgery: Optimizing Nutrition Surrounding Musculoskeletal Surgery. Registered Dietitian, Runners’ Edge Alaska, February 7th, 2021.
